nukta (dot) by Gulgee
Ismail Gulgee (October 25, 1926 – December 16, 2007)
Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi raji’un
“Dr Allama Iqbal says, “O’ Allah, what an exalted position Imam Husayn possessed, as his illustrious father (Imam Ali) was the first letter of the Qur’an! A tradition says that Imam Ali said, “What is in the Holy Qur’an is in the first chapter (Surah Fatiha); what is in this surah (chapter) is in the first verse (Bismillah); what is in Bismillah is in its first letter (Ba) and I am the dot below ba. Doubtless Imam Ali was acknowledged to be the best expounder of the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Prophet had himself declared: “Ali is with Qur’an, and Qur’an is with Ali”. ”
more of Gulgee’s art work/paintings here
Made in Palestine
Since 9/11/01 – many Muslims in America have had the fear of Bush/Guantanemo thrown into them, and many more have become mousy quiet. As a result, many mainstream Muslim groups in the US , while holding art events, will focus on “Islam means peace” apologia – rather than exploring and resisting the imperialist actions of our country of residence.
This they justify on the basis of the absurd non-logic that “Muslims need to do internal self-critique, and that Muslims in America need look at “our” own concerns” and this means (amongst other things) that “Muslims pay too much attention to Palestine”
Lost in this non-logic is, of-course, the huge hand that America has in creating the horrible conditions for everyone in Palestine, in Iraq, in Afghanistan – and in so many so-called “third world” nations. As if that is not “our” (i.e. Muslims in America) concern, as if we, Muslim taxpayers of American, have no hand, and therefore have nothing do with American imperialism.
And as if, as Muslims, we should somehow not be concerned about the oppression and injustices being faced by our sisters and brothers – regardless of the cause, and regardless of our own complicity.
However, there is an ayat in the Qur’an that suggests that if Muslims turn their back on their faith, then Allah will raise a people who will not fear struggle in the face of any condemnation.
I understand this ayat in the context of so many other ayats of the Qur’an and so many ahadith of the Prophet and the Ahlul-Bayt that emphasize that the struggle against oppression and for justice is an integral part of faith. And to shy away from this struggle, in the face of critics, is to turn one’s back to one’s faith. But that, while the people who carry out the struggle may change, the struggle for justice will continue.
And so without further commentary – I thought it was like oh so very cool to see that the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington D.C. is going to have an exhibition on Palestinian art – indeed it appears more of a resistance art. If you are in the area, do check it out!
When: May 3rd, 2007
Made in Palestine at the Embassy of Venezuela in Washington DC The exhibition will be held at the Andres Bello Hall of the Venezuelan Embassy at 1099 30th Street NW and will be open to the public until mid-June.
The Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston, Texas, and the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela are pleased to announce the exhibition Made in Palestine at the Embassy in Washington, DC, opening May 3rd, 2007, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.
The Palestinian artist is deeply concerned with the historical fate of the Palestinian people and with life and death issues of freedom and justice. Suleiman Mansour creates ?emblems of decay? that are ?dry, cracked and distorted reminding us of dispersion, waste, pain and death.? Abdel Rahmen Al Muzayen?s masterful line drawings of the ruined buildings of Jenin express a subtle, but commanding love of place.
These artists, representing two generations of modernists and postmodernists, work in a multiplicity of techniques and mediums, including painting, sculpture, video, performance, textiles, ceramics, and photography.
In style the work ranges from realism to abstraction and conceptual art. Its influences range from the art of ancient Near East and Egypt to Dada, Surrealism, Social Realism, Abstract Expressionism, Arte Povera, and Installation Art.
The Palestinian art is a unique contribution to contemporary art because of its diversity, its focus on liberation and its singular approaches to pictorial expression.
photographs encourage dialogue
I came across this interview with a photographer, Hans Georg Berger. Over a period of a few years, he photographed the teaching settings of the Hawza in Iran. These are the traditional Islamic seminary schools (Shi’a Islam tradition) that are concentrated in the areas of Isfahan and Qum (in Teheran there are some with more “modern” teaching styles) – if / when Iraq becomes stable, Najaf is due to (again) become an important teaching center.
Given all the demonizing of Iran, on the one hand from the US administrations, and sectarianism on the other, these photographs are a wonderful antidote to all of that…
the entire interview is here:
view some of the photographs here:
MA: Tell us about the first shot!
HGB: Well – I must tell you that I do not like this idea of shooting a photograph, and my work as a photographer is in fact completely opposed to this idea! I tell my students that shooting a photograph should be avoided! This idea implies that you surprise somebody, like a hunter surprises a deer, and above all it implies that you take something which is not freely given! Of course I know that this is the usual way to take photographs, especially by tourists; but I think this does not lead very far, and in my opinion it is a very un-reflected, quite sad use of photography… It excludes the Other, you could say it only pretends to be interested in him. In fact, it means a true limitation of the possibilities that lie in the photographic process. Photography in my concept is part of a process of communication and learning. This is what fascinates me in photography. I use photography as a tool to discuss certain situations more deeply, to get acquainted with people, or to be accepted by a precise social group that accepts me as a newcomer/outsider. The camera forces me to concentrate on what can be seen in its frame, and photographic images I produce give me and the people I am working with a rather solid base from which to start a discussion of contents, meaning, judgments and, finally truth. Also different concepts of truth we may have.
HGB: I apologize for not having been to the point of your question. Of course there was one first photograph. And I can tell a story about it. I took the first photograph in Isfahan, after a discussion with a group of young clergymen in the courtyard of their school. Out of one of the Iwans of the Madrassa, a very old cleric and a very young cleric sitting next to each other had followed our discussion from a distance. They were perfectly calm and sat there like quiet statues. I thought, in their quietness and serenity, they gave a wonderful image representing teaching, representing age and youth. I asked them if I could do the photograph, they accepted. You see in the photograph their serenity – but you also feel a certain tension that had been introduced by me, by my presence, and which they accepted. You can imagine the sound of the fountain and the voices of the birds in the garden that lies in front of the two. It is not in the picture. But it is there in the viewer’s imagination! It is there as there is also the path of teaching and learning which they have been walking together. There is also the outsider who tries to document this moment.
There are also aesthetic and artistic aspects of the photograph, like the holding of their hands, so different between the two figures, and the play of black and white between their beards and their turbans – but what I said first is more important to me: the photograph shows a process of communication. It also transcends time, it is a message. This is an image about ideas – not only a visual document of a precise situation that is limited in time. Isn’t that fascinating? This is the strength of art, and it is an example of the strength of photography.
Hossein Alizadeh nominated for Grammy
listen to Iranian classical music online here
a brief bio. of Alizadeh here
